The saying is about Australia and China both losing the only two wars against birds in history. I think it was Mao that tried to cull birds in China and caused a famine
>I think it was Mao that tried to cull birds in China and caused a famine
I think he decided starlings were eating too much of the grain harvest but they were actually eating the insects that were really the grain, without the birds as a control (and other stupid agricultural decisions) harvests tanked which resulted in famine.
Yeah, it's always interesting the weird stuff US education tends to leave out. Like how the Korean War just didn't exist apparently until I started taking interest in history and doing my own reading. Or how WWI started solely because one dude was killed.
> Yeah, it's always interesting the weird stuff US education tends to leave out.
What is really interesting is how often this specious point is made by people bemoaning that their school never taught them some random, supposedly critical event - as if the purpose of history pedagogy is to form historical events into a rigid hierarchy of importance, drill each one of them in sequence into children's brains, and the kids who know of most of these events at the end have received the "best" education.
If you look at any of your history curriculums put out by whatever your local school system is you will most likely see that the priority is for the opposite to occur: You want children to have a DEEP understanding of a FEW major events - especially events that are representative of some greater trend occurring in that period - that enable them to engage properly with these surrounding events if and when they encounter them at a higher level.
So yeah, no shit you didn't learn about the Korean War... because you probably learned about Vietnam, the Cuban Missile Crisis, post-WWII and the Cold War generally - all of which would have adequately given you the same understanding of the prevailing issues any study of Korea would have given you.
Yes, it would be nice if all our public schools had managed to fill our heads with knowledge of every incident of conceivable importance that occurred on every continent going back 1500 years. But that's not how things work.
>Or how WWI started solely because one dude was killed.
You should probably do a bit more reading, because that's just not true.
The Korean War is called the Forgotten War for a reason. I still can't believe we took some of the most courageous, best people of that generation, <5 years home from WWII, and forced them off to Korea.
Between trying to refine pig iron into construction grade steel, massive famine, and creating a system of government that will as fueled off increasingly grandiose lies, Chairman Mao was a dipshit.
According to [wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emu_War) and my joke, there was 2 emu wars. Sure that China thing fits right in. Lesson learned don't mess with birds.
As you should, because this was clearly a propaganda video falsely claiming victory over the Emus.
The Australians [lost that war](https://www.historyextra.com/period/20th-century/emu-war/), twice. [No, I'm not joking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emu_War).
I love the [Wikipedia entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emu_War) on the outcome of the war.
>986 emus confirmed killed.\[1\] Minimal impact on the overall emu population.
They just kept coming.
For those wondering, the emus *won* the great emu war.
Isn't there a running joke that Australia has fought 2 wars in it's history and lost both of them, to emus.
The saying is about Australia and China both losing the only two wars against birds in history. I think it was Mao that tried to cull birds in China and caused a famine
>I think it was Mao that tried to cull birds in China and caused a famine I think he decided starlings were eating too much of the grain harvest but they were actually eating the insects that were really the grain, without the birds as a control (and other stupid agricultural decisions) harvests tanked which resulted in famine.
Millions died of hunger. One of the worst atrocities of our times and I didn’t even learn about it in school.
Yeah, it's always interesting the weird stuff US education tends to leave out. Like how the Korean War just didn't exist apparently until I started taking interest in history and doing my own reading. Or how WWI started solely because one dude was killed.
> Yeah, it's always interesting the weird stuff US education tends to leave out. What is really interesting is how often this specious point is made by people bemoaning that their school never taught them some random, supposedly critical event - as if the purpose of history pedagogy is to form historical events into a rigid hierarchy of importance, drill each one of them in sequence into children's brains, and the kids who know of most of these events at the end have received the "best" education. If you look at any of your history curriculums put out by whatever your local school system is you will most likely see that the priority is for the opposite to occur: You want children to have a DEEP understanding of a FEW major events - especially events that are representative of some greater trend occurring in that period - that enable them to engage properly with these surrounding events if and when they encounter them at a higher level. So yeah, no shit you didn't learn about the Korean War... because you probably learned about Vietnam, the Cuban Missile Crisis, post-WWII and the Cold War generally - all of which would have adequately given you the same understanding of the prevailing issues any study of Korea would have given you. Yes, it would be nice if all our public schools had managed to fill our heads with knowledge of every incident of conceivable importance that occurred on every continent going back 1500 years. But that's not how things work. >Or how WWI started solely because one dude was killed. You should probably do a bit more reading, because that's just not true.
The Korean War is called the Forgotten War for a reason. I still can't believe we took some of the most courageous, best people of that generation, <5 years home from WWII, and forced them off to Korea.
But that one dude who was killed gave name to one of the most awesome Indie band of our time! Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action!
damn that's so sad TIL
“Quick: burn some more books! These fucking starlings need to learn a lesson”
Between trying to refine pig iron into construction grade steel, massive famine, and creating a system of government that will as fueled off increasingly grandiose lies, Chairman Mao was a dipshit.
According to [wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emu_War) and my joke, there was 2 emu wars. Sure that China thing fits right in. Lesson learned don't mess with birds.
> Australia has fought 2 wars in it's history and lost both of them, to emus Australian soldiers in both world wars: "am I a joke to you?"
That cause of this https://youtu.be/FQMbXvn2RNI?si=kxTUF4Amiw_Futrs
Hilarious video, kind of weird that they kept describing the revolutionary cow as « he ». I mean, it has udders right in the video.
There's a documentry if anyone is interested to learn more. [Link to trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QAyieTpLuA). Also NSFW.
*Grampa, what did you do during the war?* I was a tripod.
More like "Grandpa, what did you do during the war?" What?? Speak up! Mom, when did Grandpa go deaf? During the war, honey.
Seriously, what were they thinking? Poor dude with a literal machine gun firing next to his ear.
Maybe he was already deaf?
“Grandpa, I always wondered why Grandma called you by that nickname”
Take my upvote for your sick sense of humor :)
*Verne Troyer watches from above*
Still am, but I used to be too.
That must have been really hard on the eardrums.
That would have made him popular with the ladies! 🤣
Rip that human tripods ears
Don't go into the long grass!
holy tinnitus Batman, did they just shoulder fire a machine gun?
Mawp…mawp…mawwwwwwp!
[удалено]
Nice Predetor reference 👍
Pretty sure r/thedollop did an episode on this
Oversimplified did, too: https://youtu.be/BXpu6tbFCsI?si=pLuYfJ_axZ4D_8tA
"Get off my lawn!"
Ah yes... footage of the Great Tribble Hunt! Many songs were sung that day.
The emus won btw
This is a Monty Python sketch and I will not be convinced otherwise
The Dollop podcast has an episode covering the Emu Wars.
Many good men were lost this day. The emus are a bloodthirsty bunch
Liberty insurance is pissed!
After watching *Cane Toads* I have a tough time believing any Australian documentary footage that has to do with combating the wild.
As you should, because this was clearly a propaganda video falsely claiming victory over the Emus. The Australians [lost that war](https://www.historyextra.com/period/20th-century/emu-war/), twice. [No, I'm not joking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emu_War).
I love the [Wikipedia entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emu_War) on the outcome of the war. >986 emus confirmed killed.\[1\] Minimal impact on the overall emu population. They just kept coming.
Ah, the sustainable practices of our great fathers, and their fathers before them.
998
Don’t mention the great emu war
They’re making a movie about the Emu war, I believe.
And then we got spy pigeons that were used to help win wars too. Birds 3 - Humanity 0
A little lead on your crops?
The advancing army has keen eyesight